The Proposal
by Initial A
Summary: The nerve of the wench, driving him as crazy as she did before she left. It was almost as if she hadn’t left, how easily they fell back into it. Stupid wench. I/K Post-manga.
1. Chapter 1

**aThe Proposal**

**By: InitialA**

**Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha!**

**Author's Note: …crack. Sometimes it gets the better of us. We know Kagome went back to the past at the end, and we know she and InuYasha got married. But we don't know how much time passed between those two facts. Please don't expect anything out of this, but enjoy it all the same. I give you… crack.**

He was alone. This wasn't uncommon, and with his life lately, it wasn't unwelcome. And really, he wasn't completely alone, but the twins and their newborn brother were sound asleep. Not that he minded that either, with the crying and the using him as a jungle gym and the constant attention they needed.

He was alone and thinking. Again, this wasn't surprising, his only company all being under the age of four, asleep, and unaccomplished conversationalists. It was _what_ he was thinking about that bothered him.

He was alone, thinking, and it was the new moon. That was where the main problem lay. If it had been any other combination, hell, even just getting rid of any one of those factors, it would be fine: thinking while alone, alone on the new moon, or thinking on the new moon. But no. Sango and Miroku were gone, the house was plastered in ofuda, and the wench was off having a bath.

And that's where all his problems started: the wench.

Three agonizing years of waiting for—wait, that wasn't right. Three annoyingly long and slightly lonely years spent _occasionally_ checking the well to see if it was open had passed since he'd seen her. The kitsune was off training to have more annoying tricks up his sleeve, and the monk and the slayer got married and almost immediately started popping out kids, yada yada yada. Everyone got their happy endings, and he was better off than before by having somewhere to call home. Fine, great, whatever; he had houseroom with the old hag and meals were offered regularly at Miroku and Sango's home. Food and a roof over his head when it rained, that's all he needed.

Or so he told himself.

Then _she _came back. _She_ appeared at the bottom of the well not two weeks ago, and the numb acceptance started to wear off, leaving him emotionally vulnerable and twitchy around her. Yes, twitchy. If it wasn't an ear, it was a muscle spasm, or a smirk, or the tingling in his legs that made him want to run and run and not look back at the woman who made him feel like this. And then there was the annoying way the young men of the village noticed her. The ones who spent their boyhoods chasing each other with sticks, calling for Naraku to submit to the mighty Tessaiga, were now falling over themselves at the chance to proposition the miko connected to the hero they'd played at in their youth. _His_ miko. _His_ miko, when _he_ was their old hero. It annoyed him, and every time he told her to give them what-for, she just smiled and asked him to hold a basket for her, or help with the laundry!

The nerve of the wench, driving him as crazy as she did before she left. It was almost as if she _hadn't_ left, how easily they fell back into it. Stupid wench.

But she had. They were older, more secure in themselves. Her hair was longer, she'd grown another inch or two. She'd grown elsewhere, but he pointedly kept his eyes in a proper place. That hug had just been softer than the last one he'd given her, that was all. He wasn't a pervert.

The baby whimpered, and InuYasha rocked him slightly to soothe him. He wasn't sentimental either, holding the kid while he slept; he just wasn't lying under the covers of his friends' futon to make sure the kid didn't suffocate while sleeping. The gods only knew what went on in that futon, and he was sure that even his human nose would detect things he didn't want to know.

And that was another thing. The wench left _him_ with babysitting duties, when she'd volunteered! Oh, but she wanted to get to know her adoptive nieces and nephew better! Of course she'd watch them while Sango and Miroku went to the next village to take care of a small demon problem! But then they had to play in the mud, and the twins needed a bath, and then Kagome needed a bath after _their_ bath, and poor defenseless InuYasha was the easiest target to watch the little terrors while she did so. Alright, so it wasn't that bad: the baby was already asleep for the evening and the twins fell asleep as soon as they'd stopped moving long enough to keel over from sheer exhaustion. But still! He had more important things to do!

And that very important matter was what to do about the wench. Two weeks, and he knew Kagome was expecting something. And he had a feeling he knew what she was expecting. His human rationality was making it very difficult to be stubborn about the situation, and it wasn't as if he didn't have plenty of good excuses for why he should. For one, it would stop the brats from pestering her about settling down. InuYasha snorted. _Keh! As if any of them could handle her. Wench would knock 'em head over tail before they knew what they were even dealin' with._

Maybe it was best to just get it out there. Just say it, and take the blows to the ego when she said no. Not that he'd let her say no. Or that she'd want to. Would she?

Maybe he hadn't grown more secure with age.

He'd lost his nerve several times before, the very first being the moment she'd come back. He would steel himself and get it over with soon. Tonight. Right now, actually. He'd go and find her—well, maybe that wasn't the best idea. The kids would wake up and wonder where everyone went, and get lost, and then he'd be in trouble. Not to mention Kagome would be naked. Not that it mattered much. She'd just get embarrassed and scream and he wouldn't get a word in otherwise. It had nothing to do with getting distracted by her lack of clothing.

His more rational side wondered if he liked lying to himself. _I've been doing it for years, why stop now?_

He heard footsteps, and shoved his nerves in the furthest corner of his mind. The reed mat was pushed aside; he closed his eyes and exploded, "I want you to marry me!"

Silence. One of the twins sat up. "Doggie?" She asked sleepily.

A deep, very male chuckle came from the doorway. "InuYasha, I never knew you cared. However, I must decline. I'm happily married already. In fact, I believe you attended the ceremony."

InuYasha flushed hotly as he opened his eyes and saw Miroku in the doorway, Sango covering a grin with her hand right behind him. Standing abruptly, he practically shoved the baby at Miroku, and stormed into the moonless night.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid. Stupid Miroku, stupid Sango. Stupid wench, stupid marriage, stupid!_ He climbed the stack of wood behind Kaede's hut and pulled himself onto the roof. He barely heard Kagome come back to their friend's hut, surprised to see them back so soon. Their voices faded after a time, and he supposed she would be concerned about him. The wench could wonder all she wanted about where he was. This was her fault, anyway.

_Stupid._

**((This will be a few chapters, I'm guessing less than five. We'll see where the plot bunnies take me though. X3 Please review!))**


	2. Chapter 2

**The Proposal**

**By: InitialA**

**Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha!**

**Author's Note: Thank you everyone for the kind reviews, I'm glad people are actually reading this and enjoying it! =3 I've plotted three more chapters—including this one—to round everything up, unless I get assaulted by the plot bunnies. Enjoy!!**

Another week, another chance. So he kept telling himself, but it was damn near impossible to get her alone! If she wasn't babysitting while Sango did the wash, she was learning medicines with Kaede, or some other stupid woman thing he couldn't be bothered with. Was it his fault her only free time had been when he didn't want to be around the monk? No, it was her fault. Her fault for not having any free time, and her fault for making him open his big mouth. He supposed it was Miroku's fault too. Idiot never could keep his trap shut when he wanted him to.

So here he was, sulking by the river; Rin had shooed him out of Kaede's hut, insisting that 'Kagome-chan' needed her rest. _Rest. Keh. Stupid humans and their stupid bodies needing stupid rest._

He ignored the aches in his joints from one too many nights without sleep.

_That_ was her fault too, and not even a mind-reader could dispute that. Damn human females going into heat every month, it was a wonder they didn't over-breed themselves into extinction. Though, in his opinion, Kagome's time seemed damn close to it. Noisy, smelly, overcrowded 'sit-tee', or whatever the hell it was called.

Oh, yes, he'd gotten distracted, as his friendly nether friend reminded him. Kagome's heat cycle; this had absolutely nothing to do with why he was trying to ask her to marry him either. He just… wanted to let other males know that _this_ particular flower had been plucked, so go sniff somewhere else! Not that he was interested in flower plucking. He left that to Miroku.

He didn't sleep because he didn't trust himself. Stronger youkai than he—_not that there are many,_ he added defiantly—had fallen prey to the haunting scent of a woman in their sleep. Primal instincts took over when one was sleeping. (What, you never punched someone in the face for rudely awakening you? There was a reason Kagome fixed breakfast before calling him to full alertness! ) The _last_ thing he wanted was to wake up to a slap in the face, or a deafening shriek over something he had no control over. If he wanted to get smacked around, he'd at least try to deserve it!*

His ears twitched at the sound of footsteps behind him. "Hey," Kagome said, sitting down next to him.

"Keh."

"What'cha doing out here?"

"Nothing."

"I see that. Why are you doing nothing?" She asked, smiling.

He mumbled something under his breath. It was a bit easier to be around her, her heat scent was much lower than it had been. Now they'd have to put up with her moods, but it was more bearable. She cupped a hand to her ear. "What was that?"

He grumbled, and didn't say anything, pointedly keeping his eyes on the water. She sighed, and put her head on his shoulder. InuYasha stiffened. _She smells good… could do with a bath though…_

The world continued on without them. Children ran down the road along the bank, calling greetings to the pair and insults to each other. The steady, muffled '_thwack_' of the farming tools sounded in the fields. Birds shrieked overhead. InuYasha slowly relaxed: one muscle at a time. Kagome hummed to herself. _This is stupid._ InuYasha thought suddenly.

"Y'know when you were watching the kids last week?" He asked.

"When?"

"When Sango and Miroku went to that extermination."

She looked confused for a moment, then her eyes widened. "Oh! Oh, right, that night. Yes, I remember."

His brow furrowed. "Well…remember how I wasn't there when you came back, but they were?"

"Er… yes," she said.

He paused. There was an uncomfortable feeling growing in his chest. He knew that feeling. It was felt frequently, but he always managed to distract himself. Usually by throwing himself headfirst into battle before the rest of his body realized what he was up to. "I… er, well… see what…" he stammered, feeling himself going red.

Kagome waited patiently with _that smile_ on her face. The one that said she knew what you were about to say but would let you say it anyway. The one that infuriated him because it meant she knew him as well as he knew himself, while she still managed to pull the wool over his eyes whenever possible. He tried shoving his nerves and fear out of his mind, and spoke again. "Well, er… I had a run-in with Miroku, and… er, what I'm trying to say is… _dammit_…"

"Go on, InuYasha," she prompted.

"Aww, hell with it..." he muttered, and mustered up his courage. "Kagome, I want you to marry me."

Her eyes widened. She didn't say anything. Long moments passed, and only the bees buzzing around his ears let him know he hadn't gone deaf. His heart sank. Suddenly, she started laughing. She clutched her sides and fell back onto the ground.

Disappointment and shame were replaced with pure rage and the humiliation of betrayal. He snarled, getting to his feet; her laughter became higher pitched, until an audible 'POP' sounded, complete with pink smoke, and Shippou rolled in the grass. InuYasha fumed at the trick, grabbing the kitsune by the tail and shaking him vigorously. "You brat! I keep your sorry hide safe and fed for years and this is the thanks I get! Mocked and humiliated!" He shouted, adding a few good smacks upside the head for good measure.

Shippou's laughter immediately turned to painful yelps. "It was practice! I didn't know you were gonna ask her _that_!" He tried to defend himself, but InuYasha was quicker than that, holding the small boy's arms behind his back along with his tail.

"Some practice! I ought't've left you for a street urchin! See how far you got on an empty belly and a pocket of tricks!" InuYasha shook the boy again.

Shippou's eyes began to tear up. "I didn't know! I learned new scent magic and I wanted to see if it worked!"

InuYasha's eyes were still slits in anger, but he stopped the beatings and let him finish explaining himself. _It's more than I ever got…and more than he deserves!_ Shippou flinched, waiting for another impact. When one didn't come, he looked up at the hanyou; InuYasha's face clearly stated 'talk, and talk fast before my patience runs out'. "You don't know anyone's scent as well as Kagome's—you knew she was back the second she came through the well. I thought if I could fool you, I could advance again next year! And I did—didn't I?"

InuYasha dropped the kitsune. "Not enough. Kagome's in heat, or didn't you notice? And you aren't as clean as she is. Bathe next time you want to humiliate me."

With that, he punted the kitsune into the river. The real Kagome was walking towards him as he turned to leave. "InuYasha! I sent Shippou to find you ages ago, this is where you've been? Where's Shippou at then?"

She rambled a bit more, but he ignored her and pushed past rudely as she noticed the flailing child in the water. _He can swim…_ InuYasha thought darkly as she panicked, and stalked back to Kaede's hut.

**((*This paragraph isn't an advocacy of or an allusion to rape. I know too many women who have had their lives shattered because of it. The mental image I'm having is either he's groping her, a-la-Miroku, or something akin to humping Kagome's leg, all while asleep and not really in control of himself.**

**I really wanted to drop a few f-bombs in here, but I think the standard for movies is 4 f-bombs or less to keep a PG-13 rating and this is definitely PG. XD If someone knows I can do so without causing Total Drama Island, please let me know so I can edit. Inu refuses to be kept silent—I'll be swearing left and right in my next story just to keep him happy! XD (also, Shippou can be an annoying brat, but I tend to like him more often than not. This is probably the first time I've treated him so rough, but imagine how you'd react!) Please review!))**


	3. Chapter 3

**The Proposal**

**By: InitialA**

**Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha!**

**Author's Notes: Sorry for the lack of updates. Florida vacation, watching the space shuttle Endeavour blast off into the cosmos, summer school, sunburns/sun poisoning, babysitting at very early hours of the morning, internship, and a general lack of sleep get in the way of the creative process. BUT WE SHALL CONTINUE! AWAY!**

"He's IMPOSSIBLE!" Kagome fumed, jabbing her needle into the defenseless cloth.

Sango watched with mild interest as Kagome attacked her sewing. She wasn't very good at the work to begin with, and her temper wasn't helping now. "And we aren't talking about the same impossible man who hasn't changed at all, are we?" Sango asked.

Kagome's mouth twisted in a wry smile. "I suppose… but it's just so frustrating…"

Sango twitched her fingers at her friend. "Tell me."

Kagome took a deep breath and sighed. "I mean… we never promised anything. Things were just unsaid, and we were okay with that because we understood each other to a point, and we thought… I never expected the well to close like it did for so long. InuYasha's never mentioned it, so I don't know what he thinks about it. But now, I just wonder. Am I expecting too much? Did he find someone else? Should I be happy that I'm back, and just… just live the life that's expected of me? Become Kikyou's replacement in full?"

The last few sentences came at a whisper, and she set her sewing on her lap with trembling hands. Sango was surprised. They'd all thought Kagome had gotten over the 'replacement' idea years ago, before Kikyou had died again even. "Kagome. After all these years?"

She stared at the half-finished hakama in her lap. "Not until I came back," she said quietly. "At first, I thought he would ask me, and things would fall into place. I thought, he's still as shy as ever, so it was okay if he was taking his time to find his words. But Sango, it's been six weeks. InuYasha's not a man of many words, I know that much, but I'm going crazy! Who said something to him while I was gone? That he's fit to be a protector only, and not a lover, or a husband, or a… father…"

Sango scooted closer and hugged her friend around the shoulders. "Kagome, I think you might be over thinking things. You said it yourself; InuYasha's not the best with his words. And you've been so busy getting used to everything; it's hard to get some time alone. I'm sure if you just cornered him somewhere and talked to him, you'll feel silly later for thinking like this."

Kagome leaned against Sango's shoulder. "Maybe you're right… I'm being silly. It's just the glooms," she said, and smiled brightly. "I'll find him and talk to him tonight after supper."

*~*~*~*

Sometime after lunch, when Kagome was working on medicines with Kaede, Sango sought InuYasha out. As usual these days, he was sulking in his tree. "InuYasha, come down here."

"Gimme a good reason to."

"Come down here or so help me you'll never be able to consummate any marriage with anyone."

With a sigh, InuYasha dropped from his branch. "What?" He demanded flatly.

Sango gripped his forelocks and dragged him into the woods, out of earshot. She turned on him and poked a finger into his chest. "Listen here, buster. You _will_ propose to Kagome, or we _will_ be back out here and I _will_ kick your sorry hide into her time and let you suffer there!"

InuYasha merely glared at her under his heavy brows. "Are you pregnant again? You just had a kid, but you're all bitchy like—"

She punched him in the arm; neither party flinched, but it made her feel better. "I hope your manners shape up, or Kagome should rethink taking that enchantment off those beads."

"Fuckin' whatever…"

"I mean it, InuYasha," Sango warned. Her mouth twisted, and her voice softened. "She thinks someone said something to you while she was gone. She's thinking she'll have to take up Kikyou's mantle as the village priestess, and she's not happy with the thought that she's nothing more than Kikyou's replacement after all."

A flicker of emotion in his eyes made her pause. His scowl softened. "She thinks that?"

"Time to put up or shut up, InuYasha," Sango told him, proving once and for all she spent entirely too much time talking to their absent friend from the future.

His hands shoved into his sleeves, he nodded soberly. Sango patted his shoulder and left him to think again.

*~*~*~*

Kagome was a little disappointed that InuYasha hadn't shown up for dinner, but it wasn't unusual these days. Leaving Shippou with cleanup, she left Kaede's hut in search of him. Some of the villagers were out and about still, and called their greetings. She waved in return, blushing at some of the young men attempting to make advances, and moved on towards the forest. "InuYasha?" She called.

Silence met her ears. She sighed, and clasped her hands in front of her. "I'm not going anywhere, InuYasha, so you might as well come out."

"And what will you do otherwise?" A voice breathed in her ear.

Kagome screamed. "InuYasha!"

**((…apologies for the shortness. Inu's voice is better to write through, it seems. The exciting conclusion is soon, stay tuned sports fans!))**


	4. Chapter 4

**The Proposal**

**By: InitialA**

**Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha!!**

**Author's Note: awoeifajl;sadsf and we're off and running with another rousing round of Pushing Amanda's Buttons! Expect a fight! Expect drama! Expect… the unexpected! Away!**

Kagome screamed. "InuYasha!"

She whirled, smacking him on the chest. He smirked. "You are such a jerk!"

"Yeah, well… What're'ya out here screaming about?"

She was cute when she was irritated, he'd give her that: her lips protruding in that pout, and that glint in her eyes. "Well, er, that is—why did you miss dinner?" She asked, obviously flustered.

He shrugged. "Wasn't hungry."

She cocked an eyebrow. He stared back. Yes, it was a dumb lie, but she knew he could hunt for himself perfectly well, dammit! She also didn't need to know he'd had some of Sango's stew for dinner and left directly after either. "Right."

An awkward silence settled over them. He shifted from foot to foot subtly. _Just say it… do it now!_ He told himself, but the words wouldn't come. Her lips were working around, a new thinking habit, and it was mildly distracting. Okay, it was really distracting. His focus zeroed in on those lips. He really should look away before she noticed. Or said something. Those mesmerizing lips were moving. Was she saying something? He blinked. "Er—what?"

Irritation gave way to exasperated anger. "Oh, just forget it!"

His eyebrows came together in a scowl. "Wench…"

They glared at each other. Kagome huffed and stalked away, grumbling to herself; he caught words such as 'stupid' and 'idiot', and he was fairly certain she wasn't scolding herself. InuYasha mentally berated himself for not paying attention. She hated that, he knew she did. It was her fault though, for having such… compelling lips. He blinked himself out of a daze, thinking of those lips and what possibilities lay within them. "Oi!" He shouted, stomping after her. "Did I say you could walk off like that?"

"Who said you were in charge of me?" She snapped.

"I did!"

"Well, I don't want to be around you right now!"

"Who said I wanted you around?"

She froze. InuYasha's ears went back in panic. _StupidstupidstupidSTUPID—_

_**-SLAP-**_

She was shouting at him, her face turning purple from the effort, but his ears were ringing too much from the impact for him to make out what she was saying. His cheek was numb from where she hit him. She'd hit him. Kagome, his sweet and innocent Kagome, had hit him upside the head. She hadn't said _that word_—never mind that the enchantment had been removed weeks ago, it was almost habit at this point—she didn't try to use her miko powers, she'd reacted like any human female would to a human male who'd gravely insulted her. She'd walloped him upside the head hard enough to make him think about what he'd done.

She was gasping for breath at this point, as his hearing came back, and jabbed her finger into his chest. "I can't believe I've been sitting around, waiting for you when you don't even give a damn! Who said I even wanted to marry you anyway, you foul-mouthed son of a—"

InuYasha grabbed her by the shoulders, pulled her in, and kissed her full on the lips. She squeaked, but didn't struggle. When they broke, she looked confused. He held on tight before she got her wind back to pummel him again. "One, I do give a damn. Two, you've been doing everything _but_ sit on your ass waiting, or we'd've had this done with weeks ago, wench. Three, you better damn well want to marry me, or we've both been wasting a lot of energy worrying about the stupid subject for too long."

She gaped. "Is that… I mean, are you asking…?"

He swallowed hard and nodded. The words wouldn't come, but they'd gone out. Crude, yet effective: proven when she shrieked and threw her arms around him. "YesyesyesyesYES!"

He squeezed her close to him. _Mine… all mine… stupid boys, let them try to come sniffing around her…_ Kagome's finger brushed gently down his cheek. "I'm sorry I slapped you," she said softly, looking guiltily at the red mark on his face.

"Keh."

Her lips pursed. "Well, you just made me so angry, and—"

Another kiss shut her up. He grinned at her after; she was cute with the blush dusting her cheeks too. "Wench, we're gonna piss each other off until the day we die. You and I both know it. But, I have to say this… I lied."

The confusion was back. He rested his forehead against hers.

"Four. I always want you around."

**((Huzzah, crack! Hope you enjoyed it, and sorry the conclusion was so… spread out from the rest of it. It's been a busy month. ___ Oh well, live and learn. Also sleep. Good night and thanks for reading! Please leave a review on your way out!!!))**


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